Teaching Diagnostic Decision Making: Student Evaluation of a Diagnosis Unit
Abstract
Objective
The aim of the study was to report on chiropractic students' response to a changed learning format and on how the students fared in their final examination.
Methods
A 13-week year-4 diagnosis unit that used a structured self-study guide, a prescribed text, classroom clinical simulations, WebCT-based learning, and self-assessment tasks is described. After 4 weeks of study, a questionnaire was used to assess the chiropractic students' interim evaluation of the various learning experiences. The ability of students to meet unit objectives was assessed in a summative examination.
Results
Most students found the learning experiences acceptable and believed the learning options provided would enable them to meet the unit aims. This belief was confirmed both on formative and summative student assessment.
Conclusion
Diverse classroom teaching/learning opportunities combined with self-learning guides provide a viable alternative to more traditional teaching formats for introducing chiropractic students to differential diagnosis.
aProfessor of Primary Care, Division of Health Sciences, School of Chiropractic, Murdoch University, Perth, Western Australia, Australia
Submit requests for reprints to: Jennifer R. Jamison, MBBCh, PhD, EdD, Professor of Primary Care, Division of Health Sciences, School of Chiropractic, GPO Box S1400, Murdoch University, Perth 6849, Australia.
ABSTRACT